New York's Wollman Rink: A New York Lottery Winner Wonderland

SCHENECTADY, NY (12/14/2009)(readMedia)-- More than 4,000 New Yorkers flock to Central Park's Wollman Rink each day to experience the thrill of winter in New York City. Today, six other New Yorkers experienced a thrill of a much different kind the sort that comes with receiving a million dollar prize check from the New York Lottery. The winners, representing Jackson Heights and Forest Hills, Queens; Patchogue, East Patchogue and Babylon, Long Island; and Graniteville, Staten Island, all received prize checks worth a collective $8,000,000.

The Third Ticket is the Charm for Forest Hills Limo Driver; $3,000,000 Money Ticket Winner

Gene Futerman of Forest Hills, Queens left the gym one morning in October and headed to the store for a cup of coffee and his daily Lottery tickets. Futerman, a 46-year-old self-employed taxi driver who immigrated to New York from his native Russia in 1990, scratched his tickets in the store and realized he was $3,000,000 richer when he saw the word "Jackpot" printed on the third ticket.

"It's a big relief, a big cushion," said the father of two. "I believe in education. This will pay for my daughters' education."

As is the case with most New York Lottery instant games, the top prize on the Money ticket is paid as an annuity. Futerman will receive his $3,000,000 prize in 20 annual payments of $150,000 each before taxes. His annual a net check will total $93,573.

When asked what his first purchase might be, Futerman said he planned to buy some presents, pay some bills and maybe take a cruise. "I don't think there will be any major (life) changes, any significant changes," he said. "I like my job. I meet interesting people and I get to talk a lot. I have complete freedom."

Futerman purchased his winning Money ticket at The Center on 108th street in Forest Hills, Queens.

Suffolk County Father-Son Duo Share $2,000,000 Prize on $500,000,000 Extravaganza Ticket

Seventy-four-year-old Lewis Caputo of Patchogue, Suffolk County, is a regular at Patchogue's Party Palace Stationery store on Route 112 where he buys his favorite Lottery tickets, including the $500,000,000 Extravaganza ticket, daily. Caputo said he entered the store on November 30th as a regular customer, but left the store as a virtual celebrity.

"I scratched my ticket and had (the store) verify it was a winner," recalled Caputo. "I think I remained pretty calm, but the people around me almost fainted." The store celebrated Caputo's win by immediately posting signs announcing his good fortune.

Caputo said he placed a call to his son, Anthony, 40, immediately after leaving the store, but had to settle for leaving a message before going to work. "I told him 'I won $2,000,000. Call me back.'" Caputo is employed in the maintenance department of a Patchogue apartment complex.

The Caputos opted to split the $2,000,000 prize evenly, with each receiving a 50 percent share. As a result, each will receive $50,000 a year for 20 years or $33,015 after taxes through 2028.

The elder Caputo plans to buy a new car and take a trip to Las Vegas. Anthony Caputo said plans for his share of the $500,000,000 Extravaganza prize are already spoken for. "I'll be buying cloth diapers for my (newborn) daughter and putting the rest in the bank."

Babylon Pre-School Teacher: $1,000,000 Prize on New York Black Instant Ticket is a "Godsend"

Eileen Hoyt, a pre-school teacher from Babylon, Suffolk County, plays Lottery games for one reason: "Because I love to win." The 50-year-old Hoyt got a little more than she expected last month when she scratched a New York Black instant ticket to reveal a $1,000,000 prize.

"I just kept staring at the ticket." The mother of two said she was used to winning money on this particular ticket, just not this much. "It's an awesome feeling."

Hoyt purchased her winning ticket on November 20th at the John St. C & G store on John St. in Babylon on the way home from her nephew's baseball game.

"I enjoy being with family," she said. "Winning the Lottery for me is a Godsend for the whole family," she continued.

Hoyt will receive her $1,000,000 prize in 20 annual payments of $50,000 each, amounting to $33,015 after taxes.

Hoyt said she will use her windfall to help her children with their college expenses and maybe to help herself to a new car.

Jackson Heights Superintendant to Use $1,000,000 New York Black Prize to Help Family in Ecuador

Lottery millionaire Florencio Guaman emigrated from his native Ecuador 15 years ago. His wife, Rosa, and six of the couple's eight children still live in the South American Republic. Guaman, through his Spanish-speaking interpreter, said winning the Lottery to him, means being reunited with his family.

"I will bring my family to the United States," said the 60-year-old superintendent for a company that specializes in removing construction debris. "I will have money to give my family a better life."

Guaman purchased his $1,000,000 winning New York Black ticket on November 23rd during a typical after-work stop at the K & L Dairy Farm store on 37th Ave. in Jackson Heights where he's a regular. "I scratched the ticket and showed it to my friend (the retailer) and we both started jumping around," he said.

Guaman then brought the ticket home to have his son-in-law look at it. The two men then returned to the store to triple-check its authenticity. "It's a very emotional thing," he said.

Like Eileen Hoyt, the Lottery's other recent winner on the New York Black ticket, Guaman will receive his prize $1,000,000 as $50,000 a year for 20 years. Guaman's annual net check, less federal, state and city taxes, will total $31,191.

Graniteville Mechanic: Winning a Sweet Million is "Like Having a Building Lifted Off My Shoulders"

Thirty-seven-year-old Alex Hernandez buys a $1 Quick Pick Lottery ticket every day at the small deli located across the street from where he works. "Whatever the drawing is for that night," said Hernandez, "That's the ticket I buy. One dollar. No more. No Less."

The strategy paid off for the Pep Boys auto technician from Graniteville, Staten Island who won $1,000,000 on the New York Lottery's Sweet Million drawing held on November 30th. Hernandez said the day started out like any other.

"I stopped in the deli (on Monday) like I do every morning and got my ticket for that night's Sweet Million drawing. I was off the next day when my buddies at work called to tell me someone at the deli had a winning Sweet Million ticket worth $1,000,000. I called my wife at work and read my numbers to her as she checked them off. She almost had a heart attack when I read the last one."

Hernandez bought his lucky Sweet Million ticket on November 30, 2009 at Your Own Deli on Forest Ave. in Staten Island. "It feels like a building has been lifted off my shoulders," said the father of two. "I haven't told anyone but my wife that I won, but everyone at work suspects it's me," he continued.

Hernandez said he and his wife plan to start looking for a new home for their growing family. When asked what other plans he might have for the money, Hernandez replied, "It's all about the house." The couple will limit their house hunting to Staten Island. "This is our home," he said.

Hernandez will receive his $1,000,000 Sweet Million prize as a one-time lump sum payment. His net check will total $623,820.

The New York Lottery introduced the Lotto spin-off game, Sweet Million, in September 2009. The game offers players a twice weekly chance to win up to $1,000,000 in cash. In the event there are more than five $1,000,000 winners in a single game, each winner will receive an equal share of the total $5,000,000 top prize monies available for that drawing.

The New York Lottery continues to be North America's largest and most profitable Lottery, earning more than $36.7 billion in education support statewide since its founding over 40 years ago. The Lottery contributed nearly $2.54 billion in fiscal year 2008-09 to help support education in New York State, which was over 12 percent of total state education funding to local school districts. The Lottery's ongoing commitment to education also includes the awarding of more than 1,100 Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) Scholarships annually to high school students pursuing their higher education in New York State. Since 1999, the Lottery has awarded more than 11,500 scholarships representing a total commitment of almost $50 million.

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